Turtle Island Park, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo

Turtle Island Park, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo

Turtle Island Sabah Borneo

We were in Turtle Island Park in eastern Sabah. The islands are sanctuary for Green and Hawksbill turtles. They come to lay their eggs on the islands at night. That evening, I watched a female green turtle laying about 80 eggs on the beach. The same evening, turtle hatchlings were released to the ocean. The island is about 1 hour boat ride from Sandakan. Photographing turtle in low light was challenging. Flash light was not allowed. The best way was to use a high ISO and a powerful torch light to light up the scene.

The green turtle, the second largest of the seven species of sea turtle, used to be common throughout the warmer seas of the world. Today its numbers are a fraction of what they once used to be due to human disturbance, poaching and over fishing in the ocean. Like most turtles, the green turtle has been hunted by human for flesh, eggs and shell. The green turtle spends most of its live in the sea. The females come a shore to lay their eggs for only a very short time.